steaszee



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. STRASZER. CURRENT WHEEL.

No. 403,493. Patented May 14, 1889.

air ift es Z;

110212221211 (71:; 7- L'Zariep fzl '5; 242 89- (No Model!) sssssssssssss 2.

EEEEEEEEEEE L.

No. 403,493. Patented May 14, 1889.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. STRASZER. CURRENT WHEEL Patented May 14, 1889.

NITED STATES JOHN PATENT OFFICE.

DE \VITT C. TAYLOR, OF SAME PLACE.

CURRENT-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,493, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed May 23, 1888. $erial No. 274332. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN STRASZER, of Manchester, St. Louis county, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in OurrentJVheels, of which the following is a clear,

full, and exact description.

My invention relates to water-wheels for utilizing the force of running streams, &c., in producing motive power for general pur- IO posesgand the object of my invention is to so construct the wheel that it shall utilize as nearly as possible the full power of the stream and shall be capable of ready adj ustment to accord with varying conditions of the water-level, and, furthermore, to so locate the wheel that it shall be well protected against injury by ice or other obstructions in the water, and that as a whole the structure shall be compact, strong, and very durable.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, pertaining, first, to the body of the wheel and to the means for feathering the blades of the same;

secondly, to the means for mounting the wheel upon the power-shaft, and to the means for adjusting the wheel to accord with variations in water-level, and, finally, pertaining to the general form and disposition of the several parts of the machine, all as hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, 1 will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of the structure on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same on the line 0 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detached view, in perspective, of the adjustable support for the body of the wheel; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on the line 1 4: of Fig. 1, showing the step for the lower end of the power-shaft;

Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig.

6, which figure in turn shows in side elevation one of the blade or paddle arms with its anti-friction-rollers; Fig. 7, an edge view of the same; Fig. 8, a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 9, the latter being a bottom view of the body of the wheel.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the bank of a stream, and B designates a vertical niche or alcove formed in the bank and preferably lined up with masonry, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. Within this recess or alcove B is placed a vertical power-shaft,

O, the lower end of which rests in a step, D, and the upper end of which extends out through the top of the recess B and carries at 6c its upper end a beveled gear-wheel, E, or other connection, whereby the rotation of the shaft may be transmitted to such machinery as is to be driven from the shaft.

The step D, before referred to, is shown in detail in Fig. 4, and consists of a flat base having apertures to receive the bolts by which it is secured to the bottom of the recess B. A boss, (1, rises integrally from the base of the step, and at its upper portion is provided with 7c the seat or socket in which the lower end of the shaft 0 turns. A cap, (1, is bolted or otherwise firmly secured upon the boss d and fits snugly about the shaft 0, so as to exclude dirt, &c., from contact with the bearing of the shaft. At its upper end the shaft 0 extends through collars or hubs 6 e which are secured, respectively, to the under and upper faces of a beam, 0, extending across the top of recess B, and thus afford secure bearings for the upper end of the shaft.

At the back of the recess B are bolted or otherwise secured two vertical parallel guides,

F, (see Fig. 2,) behind and between which is placed a plate, G, the ends of which are reduced, as shown at g in Fig. 3, so as to permit the plate to work or slide vertically behind the guides F. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 that a rope, 9 the lower end of which is connected by a ring, g, (or other suitable 9c device,) to the upper part of plate G, extends upward to and around a drum or Windlass, H,

so that the plate G may be readily raised or lowered, as desired.

From the lower edge of plate G extends three converging arms, g which at their point of union are formed with a hub, g, for the shaft 0. Two diverging arms, g extend from the point of union of the arms g and to the extremities of said arms 9 are connected 10 the ends of a curved section, g, which extends upward and backward toward the plate G, and which is connected thereto by the brace-rods g". These parts all go to make up an adjustable carrying-frame for the wheel and a guide for feathering its blades J, as will presently be more clearly explained.

I designates the body of the wheel, which consists of a circular base, from which rises a central integral boss, 2', having a square or angular bore for receiving the shaft 0, the latter being angular or square in cross-section to correspond to the said bore. At the angle of union between the base and boss of the body I are formed apertured lugs 2", which are arranged in pairs, and to which the ends of paddle-bars J are pivoted, as shown in Fig. 1.

2 designates curved bars,which are also arranged in pairs and extend upward and inward from the outer edge of the base of body I to the top of the boss 1'. These bars are so arranged relatively to the lugs t" that the bars J extend each between one pair of the lugs, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to diminish the friction between the bars J and the bars or guides i rollers j are mounted upon the said bars J, and these rollers also work upon the cam or lifting bars 9 as hereinafter described. Between the upper ends of each pair of bars 2' is placed a curved spring, 01 which is secured to the boss 11, and which prevents the paddle-bars from becoming fixed in their raised position, and thus insurethe proper fall of said bars, as required.

The operation of the machine is as follows: By operating the drum or Windlass II the frame G is raised or lowered, so as to adjust the wheel properly to the Water-level, and thus have the paddles properly submerged for effective work. As the current flows, the water impinges upon the outwardly-extending blades, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) thus causing the whole to revolve and to turn the powershaft with it. As the blades are carried around,.they successively ride upon the cam or lifting bar g and are brought into the elevated position shown to theleft of Figs. 1 and 2. As the wheel continues to revolve, the blades drop down to the horizontal position originally assumed, (this dropping being as sured by the spring it) and thus again impel the wheel in a rotary course. From the rising or feathering of the blades no impediment to their effective action in the water is offered and the wheel is only partially exposed beyond the recess in which it is mounted. The entire wheel may be readily raised entirely out of the water when not in use or when it is desired to examine or repair the wheel. Thus a simple, durable, and powerful motorwheel is produced, and one which is well protected against injury from obstacles in the water. The wheel is well adapted for all purposes to which other water-wheels are applied Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the plate G, the converging arms g extending therefrom, the hub 9 attached to the outer ends of said arms, the arms 9 extending outward divergently from said hub, the curved lifting-bar g, extending upward and backward from these outer arms, the brace-rod g", connecting the plate G with said lifting-bar, the sh aft 0, extending through said hub, and a series of feathering-paddles turning with said shaft and having their bars in contact with said lifting-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. A shaft, 0, in combination with a wheel, I, fast thereon, paddle-bars pivoted to said wheel, and a relatively-stationary lifting-bar inclined upwardly and rearwardly for causing the paddles to feather by its contact with said paddle-bars, the said wheel consisting of a base, a central boss, 2', pairs of apertured lugs t", to which said blades are pivoted, and curved bars i arranged in pairs--one on each side of each paddle-barand extending from the top of said boss to the base of thewheel, and springs "6 attached to said Wheel, for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined lifting-bar and curved bars arranged in pairs in vertical planes, a rotary wheel to which said curved bars are attached, and a series of paddle-bars pivoted to said wheel, each of said paddle-bars being arranged between a pair of said curved bars and provided with anti-friction rollers which are in contact with said lifting-bar and curved bars, for the purpose set forth.

JOHN STRASZER. Witnesses:

.O. D. MOODY, A. M. EVERIST. 

